Ski boots



Aug. 25,1970 J. RIEKER ET AL 3,525,166

SKI BOOTS Filed Jan. 51, 1969 v 1 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ 05am: 251154 I 7340/ (wanna M I imgvoyl Aug. 25, 1970 J RlEKER ET AL 7 3,525,166

SKI BOOTS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

QINVENTORS United States Patent U.S. Cl. 36-25 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ski boot which has at least one tubular element firmly embedded in its outer sole for supporting parts of a ski binding or any other means. The ends of this tubular element are flush with the peripheral edge of the outer sole. If one or both ends of the tubular element are not needed for any particular purpose, they are preferably closed by removable plugs or the like.

The present invention relates to the construction of ski boots.

Ski boots are frequently designed so that on the soles of the boots certain elements are secured which have a functional importance in skiing, These elements may, for example, be parts of a ski binding which are operatively associated with fittings which are secured to the ski and also form parts of the binding. When purchasing such ski boots, the skier is usually forced to employ such elements, although he may not desire to do so. The skier may, for example, be interested in the particular type or style of ski boots to which such elements are secured, but he may wish to apply a ski binding of his own choice on these boots after purchasing them or at some later time. There may also be other reasons why a skier may want to purchase ski boots only because of their own particular features without being required to employ any other functional parts which are provided on these boots.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ski boot construction which eliminates the disadvantages of the ski boots as mentioned above. For attaining this object, the invention provides a ski boot which has an outer sole vulcanized or molded together with the upper of the boot and at least one tubular element which is firmly embedded in this sole. The ends of this tube are flush with the peripheral side of the sole and one or both ends of this tube when not required for any other purpose may be closed by suitable means, or the tube may serve as a support for elements, for example, parts of a ski binding, which have a functional importance in skiing or in connection with the use of the boot or the ski. Since the tube is fully embedded in the outer sole and its ends are flush with the peripheral side of the sole, it will not interfere with the use of any other ski binding which might be used in preference to one which is secured to the tube. Its open ends may then be closed, for example, by rubber or plastic plugs which project very little if any from the sole so that the presence of the tube in the sole is hardly noticeable. If the tube is to be used for supporting any functional elements, one or both plugs are removed and suitable connecting means or the functional element or elements themselves are connected to one or both ends of the tube or inserted therein. These connecting means or functional elements are preferably designed so as to be easily applied to the boot by the skier himself, for example, by being screwed into the tube. The tube itself may consist of any suitable material but preferably of metal and it may be of a round or angular cross section but should be embedded in the sole so as not to be rotatable therein or to work loose therefrom.

ice,

The features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a ski boot according to the invention, the lower part of which including the sole is shown in section;

FIG. 2 shows a case cross section which is taken along the line II-II of FIG, 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal section of the tube which is to be embedded in the outer sole and supports parts of a ski binding;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a broken-off part of a ski on which a bracket-shaped fitting is mounted which is associated with the binding parts as shown in FIG. 3; while FIG. 5 shows another enlarged longitudinal section (partly broken away) of the tube which is to be embedded in the outer sole and which in this case contains a permanent magnet which permits the skier to be located if buried in the snow.

As illustrated in the drawings, the ski boot according to the invention comprises an upper 1 which is molded or vulcanized together with an outer sole 2 into which, while being molded, a tube'j3 is embedded. For preventing this tube 3 from being turned within the sole 2, it is provided with projections 4' and 4" which extend diametrically from the tube toward the rear and front of the sole in which they are likewise embedded. In the particular embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this tube 3 extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sole and its outer ends are flush with the opposite peripheral surfaces of the sole. When tube 3 is not to be used as a means for securing any functional parts to the sole, its outer ends may be closed by plugs 5 the heads of which project very little if any from the sole.

According to FIG. '3, tube 3 is designed so that, if desired, it may be used for holding parts of a ski binding which comprises a locking ball 7 which is slidable within the axial bore in tube 3- against the action of a spring 6 and is adapted to engage into an aperture 8 in one vertical arm 11 of a U-shaped bracket 10 which is secured to the ski. The other vertical arm 12 of this bracket 10 is likewise provided with an. aperture 13* into which the head 14 of a screw 15 may engage so that by the resilient pressure of ball 7 and screw head 14 against the walls of the apertures 8 and 13 in the arms 11 and 12 of bracket 10 the sole 2 of the boot will be locked to the ski 9. Screw 15 serves in addition for adjusting the locking effect between the sole 2 and the ski 9 or, in other words, for varying the force which is required to disengage the ball 7 from the aperture 8 in bracket arm 11 and then also the screw head 14 from'the aperture 13 in bracket arm 12. For this purpose, screw 15 is screwed into a nut 16 which is prevented from turning relative to the tube 3 by having a lateral projection engaging into a longitudinal groove in the wall of tube 3, while the smooth neck of screw 15 is rotatable but not slidable in its axial direction in a cylindrical bore in a bushing 17 which is screwed into the open end of tube 3. Thus, when screw 15 is turned in one or the other direction by a screw driver 'which is inserted into the slot in the screw head 14, nut 16 will slide in the axial direction along screw 15 and act upon the end of spring 6 so as to compress or release the same.

From FIG. 3 it is evident that it is very simple to install the elements of the ski binding in the tube 3. After the plugs 5 are removed from tube 3, ball 7 and thereafter spring 6 and screw 15 including nut 16 are inserted into the right open end of tube 3 and bushing 17 is then screwed tightly into this end. The other end of tube 3 from which ball 7 projects is bent slightly inwardly so as to prevent the ball from falling out. By turning the screw 15, spring 6 may then be adjusted to the desired tension so as to release the binding from the ski when the torsion which might be exerted between them exceeds a certain value.

FIG. 5 illustrates another possibility of utilizing the tube 3. In this case, a plug or screw 20 which carries a magnet 19 is inserted into one end of tube 3. This magnet 19 permits a skier who is buried in the snow to be more easily found by searchers by means of a suitable instrument.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof as described and illustrated, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Thus it is evident that tube 3 may also be used for other purposes, for example, for securing a holding strap for the ski or a heating device, or for receiving a spindle for varying the width of the boot if the latter is divided longitudinally.

Having thus fully disclosed our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a ski boot having an upper and an outer sole secured to said upper, the improvement comprising at least one tubular element embedded in and firmly secured to said sole, said tubular element extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said sole and having its ends substantially flush with the peripheral surface of said sole, each said tubular element being adapted either to receive and support means having a functional importance in skiing or in the use of said boot or to receive an element for closing said end at least when said tubular element is not employed for supporting said means.

2. A ski boot as defined in claim 1, in which said tubular element has at least one projection on its outer peripheral side likewise embedded in said sole so as to prevent said tubular element from being turned relative to said sole.

3. A ski boot as defined in claim 1, in which at least one of said ends of said tubular element is provided with internal threads, and said means are adapted to be screwed into said at least one end of said tubular element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,032 1/1927 Palmquest 362.5 X 1,868,386 7/1932 Gresvig 36-2.5 X 2,516,238 7/1950 Mortsell 36--2.5 X

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

